Dallas Cowboys received John Houser in the 1960-09-06…
Dallas Cowboys received John Houser in the 1960-09-06 exchange with Los Angeles Rams. John Houser's Dallas stay was limited and did not create a strong long-term advantage for the Cowboys. The direct package, rather than later movement of any acquired asset, is the basis for the hindsight judgment. Against what Dallas Cowboys surrendered, the result supports Even Trade.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- player John Houser
Los Angeles Rams Received
- pick 1962 7th round pick (88th overall, Jim Bakken)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1960-09-06, Dallas Cowboys received John Houser, while Los Angeles Rams received 1962 7th round pick (88th overall, Jim Bakken). The direct compensation defines this transaction. Any later trade involving an acquired selection or player is a separate event and is not credited back to this exchange. That keeps the comparison centered on what each club controlled immediately after the deal.
Dallas Cowboys Return
John Houser's Dallas stay was limited and did not create a strong long-term advantage for the Cowboys. For Dallas Cowboys, the useful measure is the football value actually created by the incoming side: playing time, starts, sustained roster usefulness, and retained draft value. That return is weighed against the specific assets sent away here, without borrowing value from a later move by another club.
Los Angeles Rams Return
The Rams received the seventh-round choice that became Jim Bakken, but the value of the direct exchange remains modest. The same standard applies to Los Angeles Rams. The question is not how many pieces changed hands, but whether the direct return became meaningful and durable for the franchise. That keeps a minor transaction proportional while still allowing a directional grade when one side clearly did more with the assets it received.
Value in Hindsight
The current master row fuses two source-distinct September 1960 Cowboys-Rams transactions. DAL-1960-0010 is John Houser for the 1962 seventh-round No. 88 selection. Paul Dickson for cash is separately represented by DAL-1960-0011 / RAM-1960-0089 and must not remain inside the Houser trade. The long-term comparison therefore turns on realized contribution and the quality of the direct asset package, not on names attached to selections after those selections moved again. Where the evidence remains close, an even result is preferable to forcing separation; where one side created a clear practical advantage, the grades reflect that difference.
Final Verdict
Dallas Cowboys receives a C and Los Angeles Rams receives a C. The verdict is Even Trade. This conclusion reflects the direct exchange, the subsequent value each club actually realized from its return, and the scale of the transaction. It does not treat later unrelated asset movement as part of the original deal.